Sports
Viktor Hovland Wins FedEx Cup With The Best 2 Weeks Of His Career
ATLANTA, Ga. – Viktor Hovland knew he was playing the best golf of his life. With a six-shot lead in the Tour Championship on Sunday, he reasoned that a steady diet of fairways and greens, with lots of pars, would be the most certain path to winning the FedEx Cup.
Xander Schauffele forced him to alter his ideas.
The 25-year-old Norwegian sensation then outperformed himself.
Hovland didn’t back down from Schauffele’s unrelenting challenge, matching birdies from start to finish at East Lake until he closed off the best two weeks of his career with his biggest prize — a FedEx Cup title and the $18 million bonus.
He closed with a 7-under 63, the lowest winning score in Tour Championship history, and won by five strokes over Schauffele.
“The game plan was to try to play as boring as possible — to play it like Tiger back in the day when he would post a 69 or 70 in a major championship and walk away with the victory,” Hovland explained.
Viktor Hovland knew he was playing the best golf of his life.
This was far from boring golf, with Hovland shooting 63 and Schauffele shooting 62. On the back nine, a six-shot advantage was reduced to three shots when Hovland hammered in a 25-foot par putt on the 14th hole, making an already steep hill impossible for Schauffele to ascend.
“What he was doing today was very special,” remarked Hovland. “It made this day a lot more stressful than it should have been.”
So ended a season in which Hovland won the Memorial for the first time in the United States, had a multiple-win season, and then capped it off with two weeks of superb golf in which he won the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields and the Tour Championship at 36-under par.
“It’s pretty surreal to be standing here right now,” Hovland said as he accepted the FedEx Cup trophy in silver. “I basically played my best golf in the last two weeks, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time.”
Schauffele forced him to work for the $18 million by shooting at flags from the opening hole. He was within three shots of the lead with seven holes to go and had momentum on his side. Then, on the 14th hole, Hovland ended the suspense with a 25-foot par putt, and on the 16th, he put Schauffele away with a 10-foot birdie putt.
Schauffele and Hovland put up a fantastic performance. They achieved the top scores of the day despite playing in the last group on a day that was delayed by over two hours due to thunderstorms. The next highest score was 65 by players with little chance of winning.
“I thought 62 would have let me get close to him,” said Schauffele. “He played incredibly well.” He made crucial putts and played like a champion.”
Hovland entered the Tour Championship with the No. 2 seed, which meant he began the tournament at 8-under par. Hovland finished with a 19-under 261 — the same total as Schauffele, who began the event as the No. 15 seed at 3 under.
It was the second time in four years that no one scored higher than Schauffele, and he departed Atlanta empty-handed. Such is the essence of the FedEx Cup finals and the significance of a great season and a strong showing in the two postseason events preceding the Tour Championship.
Viktor Hovland knew he was playing the best golf of his life.
“I’ll hold my head up high,” Schauffele added. “It was the most fun I’d had losing in a long time.” It’s a strange sensation. I shot 62. I came up short by five points. Hovi deserves nothing but praise. He played incredibly well in the previous few weeks to get himself into this situation and to put the icing on the cake for himself and his club.”
Schauffele did everything in his power. He was six strokes back as he departed East Lake on Saturday evening, knowing his only chance was to put as much pressure on Hovland as he could during the first nine holes.
Schauffele made 30 shots. After a two-hour delay caused by thunderstorms that significantly softened the East Lake turf, Hovland nearly matched him birdie for birdie, carding a 31 that included a crucial 15-foot par save on No. 2.
Despite his California cool, Schauffele was eager for the fight regardless of the odds.
He birdied the par-3 11th hole from 18 feet and then the 12th from 12 feet, trimming the advantage to three strokes with seven holes to play. Given Schauffele’s brilliantly playing and Hovland’s three missed birdie opportunities from 10 feet or closer on the back nine, the margin felt even narrower.
The crucial putt came on the 14th hole, East Lake’s most difficult. Hovland came up around 100 feet short of the green, about 100 feet from the flag, and his pitch could have been better, stopping just inside 25 feet of the hole.
Viktor Hovland knew he was playing the best golf of his life.
He poured it into his heart and fist-pumped harder than he had all day. The deciding shot was another perfect short iron to 10 feet on the 16th for birdie. The engraver then began work on the silver FedEx Cup trophy.
“It was huge for momentum when that putt went in.” “Two shots with four holes to play is not the same as three shots, especially with 15 holes to go,” Hovland added, alluding to the par-3 to a peninsula green. “After that, I just felt really relaxed.”
He finished with three consecutive birdies that were important for the margin of victory.
Now, it’s up to his peers to assess his season. The PGA Tour player of the year was expected to be a two-man contest between Masters champion Jon Rahm and his four wins and Scottie Scheffler, who had two wins and the No. 1 position due to his incredible consistency.
Hovland finished the season with victories at the Memorial and two FedEx Cup playoff tournaments, including the most important.
Wyndham Clark, the US Open champion, won the B-Flight, finishing with a 65 to finish third, 11 strokes back. That equated to a $5 million incentive. Rory McIlroy finished fourth and earned $4 million, while Patrick Cantlay (66) finished alone in fifth and earned $3 million.
The next time Hovland and Schauffele meet will be for no monetary reward — the Ryder Cup in Rome in a month.
SOURCE – (AP)
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics promises to be unlike any other.
In a novelty for the Games, the show will be held on Paris’ famed River Seine rather than in a stadium.
Here is everything you need know about the ceremony…
What to expect from the spectacular opening ceremony.
The eye-catching celebration will take place over a 6km stretch of the Seine. It will start at Austerlitz Bridge and culminate among the gardens, fountains, and palaces in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadero.
Almost 100 boats will carry over 10,000 athletes and dignitaries as they cruise past Paris’ prominent monuments such as Notre Dame Cathedral and Pont Neuf.
The boats will transport the parade’s participants as well as the artistic portion of the celebration, which will highlight Paris and France’s history and culture.
The performers’ identities, however, have been kept a mystery.
Thousands of people are still expected to line the river and streets, with millions more watching on television all over the world.
“I’d like to show France in all its diversity,” said Thomas Jolly, the French actor and theatre director appointed as the ceremony’s creative director, a post previously played by Danny Boyle in London 2012.
“Illustrate the richness and plurality shaped by its history, which has been influenced and inspired by the diverse cultures that have passed through it, while itself serving as a source of inspiration.”
The ceremony will also involve the ceremonial opening of the Games, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
Many of the finer elements have been maintained as a surprise.
What is the date and time of the opening ceremony?
The ceremony will commence at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST) on Friday, July 26.
It is scheduled to take little under four hours, with the last parts taking place as the sun sets over the French city.
Fortunately, the Paris weather forecast for Friday evening is positive.
In what sequence will the nations be introduced?
In accordance with tradition, Greece will be the first nation introduced during the ceremony.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, an NBA star, is one of their flagbearers for the games.
Greece will be followed by the Refugee Olympic Team, with hosts France being the last to be unveiled.
Because of their countries’ involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, Russian and Belarussian athletes participating as individuals will not participate.
How to follow the opening ceremony on BBC.
The opening ceremony will begin live at 17:45 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds will provide radio coverage beginning at 19:00 BST.
There will also be live text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app, bringing you all the action from Paris.
Source: BBC
Sports
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
PARIS — Coco Gauff, a tennis player, will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the United States Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Coco, the reigning US Open winner, is ready to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games, becoming the first tennis player to carry the American flag. Team USA athletes selected her and James.
“I believe the Olympics are the priority. It’s equal to the Grand Slams. I wouldn’t put it above or below because I’d never played before. “This is my first time,” Gauff explained earlier this year. “I always want to do well and get a medal.”
Coco Gauff | AP News Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
Coco and James, the 39-year-old NBA’s all-time top scorer, engage in sports outside the traditional Olympic realm and receive media attention year-round rather than every four years.
Coco, 20, joined the American team for the Tokyo Olympics as a youngster three years ago but had to withdraw because she tested positive for COVID-19 just before flying to Japan.
Coco, who now lives in Florida, has won Grand Slam titles in both singles and doubles. She earned her first major triumph in New York in September, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open, and then won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open in June with Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova.
The Paris Olympics will be played on the same clay courts at Roland Garros used for the French Open. The bracket draw will take place on Thursday, and play will begin on Saturday.
Coco is seeded second in singles, matching her current WTA ranking behind Poland’s No. 1 Iga Swiatek, and will be one of the medal favorites.
Coco Gauff | AP news Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
She and her normal doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, are seeded first in the women’s doubles. Gauff may also compete in mixed doubles; however, those pairs have yet to be determined.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on it, because I want to fully enjoy the experience,” Gauff said of her Olympic debut. “Hopefully I can have the experience multiple times in my lifetime, (but) I’ll treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
SOURCE | AP
When LeBron James was chosen for his first Olympics in 2004, he was unsure what the opening ceremony entailed.
This time, he’ll be a star of the show.
His fellow American Olympians chose James to be the male flagbearer for the United States at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on Friday night. He is the third basketball player — and the first men’s player — to carry the United States flag at the start of an Olympics, following Dawn Staley in 2004 and Sue Bird in 2021.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” James told reporters. “As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only me, but to my family, all the kids in my community, my teammates, other Olympians, and so many more people throughout the country with huge dreams. Sports have the capacity to unite us all, and I’m honored to be a part of this historic occasion.”
The 39-year-old James learned of the distinction Monday in London, just hours before the United States men’s team was supposed to play its final pre-Olympics exhibition game against World Cup champion Germany.
“We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry said on the video announcing his nomination.
“He has represented what it means to be excellent both on and off the court in his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways that he knows how has been a lifelong passion,” Curry pointed out. “And the work speaks for itself.”
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
The female U.S. flagbearer is anticipated to be revealed on Tuesday. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee announced that country delegations would have two flagbearers at the Olympics’ opening ceremony, one male and one female, to encourage gender equality. The United States is set to send around 600 competitors to the Paris Games, with approximately 53% women.
“Being chosen by your teammates to carry the flag is a tremendous honor—and a testament to LeBron’s passion for Team USA and dedication to his sport,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
James, a global icon, four-time NBA champion, and the league’s all-time leading scorer about to begin his record-tying 22nd NBA season, is set to compete in the Olympics for the fourth time, having previously won bronze in 2004, gold in Beijing in 2008, and gold again in London in 2012. He participated in the opening ceremony at his previous three Olympics.
This will be an unprecedented Olympic opening ceremony, with thousands of participants sailing along the River Seine at nightfall toward the Eiffel Tower. According to Olympic officials, the route is a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) one, with some 320,000 spectators expected to watch from the river bank and an estimated 1 billion more watching on televisions around the world.
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
Not all Olympic athletes attend the opening ceremony; many miss it for logistical reasons, such as having to compete the next day. James and the four-time defending gold champion U.S. men shall begin Olympic competition on Sunday, when they face Serbia in Lille, France.
James and the American Olympians will have to wait longer than virtually any other nation for their voyage on the Seine. According to IOC protocol, Greece will lead the march, with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as one of its two flagbearers. The Refugee Olympic Team and over 200 more national delegations will follow. The United States is slated to be next-to-last in the procession because Los Angeles will host the next Summer Olympics in 2028.
As the host, France will be the last nation to participate in the opening ceremony procession. Its men’s basketball team, which includes reigning NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama, begins Olympic competition on Saturday and is not scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.
SOURCE | AP
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